A plea for mass transportation

To the editor:

I have the distinct honor of being summoned to sit on our grand jury, but I live in Willow about 50 miles from the Palmer Courthouse. So now the fate of those accused relies upon the reliability of my Ford that has 234,000 miles on it and a starter that only works if the weather is neither too damp nor too hot.

How am I to honorably and reliably render my legal decisions and execute my civic duties?

Although the George Parks Highway runs only a bock in front of my house, and while the Alaska Railroad is across the street from my home, there is neither bus nor commuter rail mass transportation available to Palmer. This provides residents with a terribly primitive standard of living without any security of back-up transportation.

I, hereby, submit this as clear evidence that Matanuska-Susitna is a backward and uncivilized borough, where its people are not well served by their government. It is our civic duty to protest and demand reliable bus and commuter rail mass transportation.

Daniel Russell

Willow